Take Care
by Juliette Rocher
Summary: modern day AU. Sean, Tony, Davey and Jack are taken care of by Denise. Each with their own backgrounds, stories and issues, can they come together to help each other heal?


I sit at the table. He stares at me for a minute, not hostile, but expectant. I am proud that finally I've gotten a reaction that's not aggression.

"It was my dad really. He drank a lot, and when I was little he shouted a lot, and smacked me when I was loud, or playing, or talking, or crying or hungry, tired, breathing. Told the teachers that I had fallen downstairs, but I think they knew. The social workers moved me to live with my mum, but she had a new boyfriend every other day, and most of them didn't like me."

He looks sympathetic. I remember what his social worker told me about him. His story was similar to mine, only he stayed with his dad, and he was beaten and abused a lot worse before the social services took any notice.

He listens with his head on one side, concentrating hard on what I say.

"Then there was one boyfriend who liked me," my voice cracks, and I remember what happened. I remember who I'm telling, and think about censoring my story. I look at the thin, pale face, and stop worrying. He can handle anything I say. "He was nice to my mum, and he encouraged her to go out with friends. He used to come to my room after she'd left. I didn't understand at first, he was polite. After the second week he started to stay for longer, kissing me goodnight. The third week he attacked me. I woke up with a cut on my head and no skirt."

I see Sean understand what I am telling him. The careful, controlled expression drops from his face, and for a second I see the scared child beneath the tough exterior. He looks shocked, and I see him reassess my reaction to his comments.

He pauses for a second. "Sorry, for what I said. I, I didn't know."

"It's ok. No one knows. Please, don't tell Jack. He doesn't know and he doesn't need to. If he knew… it would destroy him, he would want to protect me even more than now." I attempt to lighten the mood. "He wouldn't even let me go to work."

His anger is back, but I see the question in his eyes. I know that he doesn't want me to answer it, not really, but, even as I wait, he asks. "Was what did your mum do? Did she find out?"

I look down. I have told tens of doctors, social workers, psychiatrists. Why is it so hard to tell this boy? I can see his hope that at least one parent was good to their child. Everyone he knows has been screwed over by both parents and most by a step parent as well. I can't stop the trend.

"My mum found out about eight months later. She threw me out, didn't believe that it was her boyfriend's fault."

He shakes his head, makes a fist. The front door opens and he vanishes to hide in his room. Jack ignores the slam of the door, and opens the fridge. The toaster cooks his waffles while he eats a handful of biscuits. He looks worried.

"The school rang. Why did you skip all day? I can just about manage one lesson a day, but five?"

"Sorry… Davey needed me today. I won't skip for the rest of the week, I promise." He glances at my face, checking for more trouble. He glances at the doorway, almost as though he expects to see someone.

"What haven't you told me? I can see that you are hiding something else."

"Mum what would you say… if Davey and me. I, me and Davey. If I was …" he continues to mutter. I realise what he is finally telling me. I am proud of him. I thought that it would take Davey to tell me.

"I know. Did Davey finally persuade you tell me? Don't worry. What did you think I would do? Why would you be afraid to tell me?"

"You know? Davey said you did but I didn't believe him. Are you okay with it, you aren't going to kick me out, or anything like that?"

I laugh and hug him as he grins at me. I hear a noise from the hallway, and the sound of joking voices. I open the door and Davey smiles up at me. I hug him too, and laugh at Sean, stepping out of reach. Jack looks at me, sheepish at needing Davey's support. I push them together and hand Jack a plate for his waffles. He reaches around Sean, and tries to put the now cold food in the microwave, without disturbing Davey, who is wrapped around his waist. Sean takes the plate and sets the microwave. He pulls a face as Davey blows him a kiss, and waves at me over the interlocked heads. I throw his coat and he leaves the house, writing something on the whiteboard by the door.

'Going to Tony's before I get jumped.'

I smirk at the message, and wipe it off as I leave the couple alone.

I follow Sean out of the door, and he glances at my face. I try to understand the trouble in his eyes, and he stares me down. He gets slightly aggressive, and steps forward, before he looks at me, slightly pitying, but somehow older than his 17 years.

"8 months? You said your mum found out 8 months later. Did he, I mean were you? Did you have a, a baby?" he subsides into mutters, anger. I wait for him to stop before answering.

"Yes. I was pregnant, and my mum still kicked me out." I stop talking before Sean can register the bitterness. I remember that his mum was thrown out when she had him; the years on the streets as a child make him one of the very few people who can understand what I went through.

He steps back. Staring at me again, but this time at my stomach. "You were pregnant, and she kicked you out. How old were you?"

"I was 9 when she threw me out, ten when Lily was born." I stop his anger.

"Do you want a lift to Tony's?" I motion to the truck. He nods and we get in. I drive in silence.

As I pull into Tony's street, he blurts out, "Sorry, sorry." before jumping down from the truck and slamming the door. I see him greet Tony, their friendly hug lasts for a moment too long, and I wonder when he will tell me. I look forwards to the conversation with both of my sons and their boyfriends. I smile at the thought and drive for a while, trying to give Davey and Jack a little more privacy. I visit the supermarket, buying a few extra waffles, and a mountain of chocolate. The cashier looks at me strangely when I add a box of condoms to the pile. I grin and explain.

"My sons." She looks down slightly, blushing at how easily I read her.

I laugh and take my shopping, driving home quickly.

When I pull into the drive the front room light is on. I smile, and knock loudly, making as much noise as I can as I pass the living room door. I unpack in the kitchen, waiting, listening to the sound of the two boys trying to straighten their clothes and the cushions. I smile slightly at Jacks' squeal. They can't keep their hands off each other.

When they appear in the doorway they are still holding hands, their rumpled clothes and quick glances telling what they will not.

I glance up from the freezer, acting as though I didn't know they were there. The boys drop hands and blush, and I smile at their identically flushed cheeks. Jack grins back, and takes Davey's hand again. They cross the room so that Jack can look in the freezer over my shoulder. He takes the new packet of waffles, and puts the full six into the toaster. Davey claims one, and takes two plates from the cupboard, turning to see Jack stood right behind him. They kiss, forgetting the waffles, the plates, me. I wait for a minute, and am about to leave when the toaster dings.

They break apart, and Davey turns, but Jack reaches around him to take the hot waffles, and puts them on the plates, passing the plate with one to Davey and taking five for himself. I sit at the table, and move one waffle from Jack's plate to Davey's. Both boys look at me, and blush. Their startled expressions tell me that they have both forgotten that I was home, or in fact that anyone, except for each other, ever existed. I wait for them to relax before speaking.

"Boys, I know what you were doing." They blush and Jack begins to protest. I raise my eyebrows at him until he stops suddenly. I see Davey's hand move back to his own leg. "I understand that neither of you need this conversation, so I won't go any further. But I want you to tell me when I need to leave you alone, and also try to keep Sean happy, and try to understand what he's going through. You should both understand that since you have been through it yourselves." They both look up at that, and Jack smirks. "Jack Kelly will you please try to behave yourself. He hasn't told me yet, but I expect you to understand when he does." I wait for that to sink in, and they both smirk. "Anyway, until I am told you both need to keep quiet about that. Another thing you need to keep quiet is whatever you do when Sean or I am home. I know you know what you are doing, but I just want to keep you safe, please be aware of that. Ok?"

They both nod at me, and I let them go, before I remember what I bought. I call Jack back and throw the box at him. He catches the packet, and grins at me, before running to his room. The two boys pause for a second and whisper quickly, before shutting the door quietly. I put the radio on, and turn it up, until the music drowns out the noise of the bed squeaking. After about an hour the noise stops and they arrive in the front room, both half dressed, obviously not expecting me to be there. I ignore the tanned chests and they wait for a second before sitting beside me on the couch. I turn the radio off, and Jack turns the TV on. We watch for a minute or two, before they get distracted and their hands start to wander. I ignore the wriggling for a while, before throwing a blanket at them and leaving the house.

On my way out I stop Sean in the drive, turning him away from the house. He looks at me differently now, and I wonder why I told him my story. I regret it more when he climbs into the truck beside me. He waits for a few minutes, and I drive into town, and continue to drive. We hit the motorway and I carry on, checking the petrol. We have plenty and I plan to drive for a while.

I wait until he talks. "What happened to you, your baby, did you keep, did you get, did you?" he falters out and I answer his question.

"We were found by a social worker, and I ended up in the system. They realised I was pregnant and I had a bunch of DNA tests to prove that mum's boyfriend was the dad, then I had to identify him in court which was pretty stressful, but he got locked up so I was happier after that. When Lily was born they tried to take her away, but I didn't let them. I wanted to look after her, but obviously I couldn't, not properly anyway," I smile at the memory. "So she was placed into foster care with me, and we grew up like sisters. When she was fifteen I told her the truth and showed her the court records and her birth certificate. So now we keep in touch, but I don't see her that much. Is that everything?"

"You still see your daughter, but Jack doesn't know?"

"I think he suspects, he knows I was in the system."

I turn around, knowing that I've given him enough to think about for now.

I drop him outside Tony's, and he waits for a moment before he leaves. I wait, hoping that he will tell me about him and Tony. But he ignores me and Tony waves over his shoulder. They go into the big house, and I wonder again how they manage to be friends with their different backgrounds. I suppose that there aren't too many gay teenagers, even at the posh end of town.

I leave the ostentatious houses and head back to the flats and terraces where I live. I drive around the block for a few minutes, waiting for something to happen. The bedroom light goes on at about half nine, and I pull into the drive, waiting for a moment until Jack opens the door and waves at me.

I ignore the closed door to Jacks room, and throw the phone at Davey so that he can let his parents know where he is. He rings home, and looks at Jack, who in turn looks at me. I take the phone from his hand.

"Hello, yes its Denise, yes he's been fine. He was just ringing to ask if he can stay the night? Yes its fine with me, he can sleep on the couch or on the camp bed if he wants to. I'll drop him off at school tomorrow, if that's alright. Yes, bye." I put the phone down, and turn to face the boys.

"So it's okay then? He can stay tonight? Does he have to sleep on the couch, or can he?" Jack blushes, a familiar sight recently.

"Yes, you can borrow one of Jack's shirts for school, and I'll drop you off. You can sleep on the couch, if you want, but I assume you'll want to sleep in Jack's bed?" I turn to Jack. "Do I need to change the sheets?"

He blushes, and mumbles something about him doing it. I hold Davey back, knowing that the job will get done much quicker if Jack has no 'distractions'. Davey politely excuses himself and heads to the games room in the basement. I send Jack down after him, taking the soiled sheets and setting the wash going before I re-make the bed.

After a couple of hours Sean and Tony arrive, and I send all four boys down to the basement while I make tea. I call Jack up to help me carry the four plates. He mumbles for a moment, but does as he's told. Sean can't resist.

"Oh, look who's playing mummy, we can all guess who takes it in that bedroom,"

"Sean get upstairs now."

"No… I didn't mean it, sorry mum"

"Sean get upstairs. Take your plate and go, now please"

"I'm really sorry, I didn't mean it, sorry, please don't."

"Get upstairs."

He stomps up the stairs, spilling peas off his plate. I pick them up before I follow. Tony takes his plate from Jack with quiet thanks, and follows me up the stairs, always a few steps behind.

I wait at the living room door for a moment, giving Sean the time to relax, holding Tony back. He begins to eat his dinner, looking down on me, slightly sheepish.

I open the door, and Sean is sat in his hedgehog position, the one he slept in for the first few weeks. He sits with his long legs curled to his chest, resting his chin on his knees, prickles out to defend himself from the world. I take Tony's plate, pushing him gently towards the sofa. I put Tony's plate on the coffee table, and shut the door as Tony leans in.

After half an hour I collect the plates, knocking on the living room door as I go in, pausing for them to break apart and adjust their clothes. I pretend I haven't seen, taking the plates and leaving as quickly as I can. There is nothing to knock on as I enter the basement, and I try to make as much noise as I can down the concrete stairs. Clearly I am not loud enough. They are still wrapped around each other, and I have a coughing fit, for a moment, facing away from them.

When I turn around they are sat on either end of the couch, both putting their shirts back on, and Jack is fastening his fly. I take the plates and ignore the blushes. I throw the packet of condoms down the stairs, and shut the door at the top.

Both couples turn up in the kitchen over the next two hours. Jack makes sandwiches, and Davey leans on the counter, not sitting down. I shut them in Jacks room, and turn on the radio.

When Sean and Tony turn up, Sean looks a little nervous, tony looks hopeful. I wait for them to finish their packet of biscuits before they talk.

"Erm, Denise, mum, can Tony stay here tonight? It's just his mum and dad aren't at home, and er, he's lost his key."

"Your key's on the hall table, and I saw your mum earlier. Yes you can stay, it's fine, do you need to get some clothes, or do you want to borrow a spare uniform of Sean's, you're about the same size, might be big, but Jack's will be too small."

"Really? He can stay?"

"Yes, he can stay. I'll make up the camp bed, but it's ok if you don't want to sleep there, just your parents might come and get you after school tomorrow, and I'm assuming they don't know."

He nods, looking a bit worried. I throw another packet of biscuits at them, and Tony leaves. Sean hovers for a minute, unsure. He finally decides I'm ok, and he's not going to get into trouble.

"Thank you. I didn't want to, and he wouldn't, and his parents don't know, is it ok?"

"What you think I'd be ok with Jack and Davey, and not you and Tony?"

"Yeah, but he's your son, more than I am, and he's been here longer"

I hold my arms out, like I do with Jack, and he steps back, and I remember his folder. He was beaten by his mum, and abused by his dad. He thinks for a second, and then quickly steps forward and wraps his long, skinny arms around my shoulders. I feel him shaking with the supressed sobs, and he sniffs into my shoulder. Tony hears the sound and stands in the doorway, unsure of what to do. He looks at us for a minute and decides to help. He unwraps Sean and me, and bends his knees to lift Sean into his arms. I open the door as Sean continues to cry into Tony's shoulder. Tony smiles at me over his head, and they disappear into Sean's room, and the door shuts.

In the morning I make four lunches, iron four shirts and do four lots of identical maths homework before the boys turn up. Tony is shy, Davey is worried about not having done his maths, Jack is hungry, but Sean is glowing. He looks happy, healthy, finally like he might stay.

After school we go into town. Jack spends his allowance on a pack of cookies, a car magazine and a cd. Davey flashes cash, buying everyone a cup of coffee, buying himself a few books and a shirt, Tony just looks, content to follow everyone else. Sean looks like I've given him the world when I hand him a twenty.

"What's this for, I thought we were just looking."

"We are just looking, it's just in case you want to buy something, maybe something for your room?"

"I can just spend it, I don't have to buy anything?" he steps back, holding out the money. "Do anything, because they said I'd never have to, not ever." I can see him regressing, retracting back into his shell, prickles out. Tony steps forward, reassuring him, hugging him. He ignores the comments, from some boys from his school on the other side of the street. They stop, and cross the street. I begin to understand how difficult school is for the couples.

"Ooh, look the gay boys need their little mommy to keep them safe."

"No, it's not his mommy, she doesn't want them, no-one want those losers."

Jack steps forward, angry; Davey pulls him back, whispers in his ear. Jack smiles at me, and then looks at Tony and Sean, who doesn't even seem to hear the calls. Jack pulls Davey in front of Tony, who is starting to calm Sean down; unfortunately now that Sean isn't distracted he has heard the name calling. Jack and Davey kiss, passionately. The boys stop jeering and stand still, shell shocked. Sean bursts out laughing, and hugs Tony. The bullies run off.


End file.
